Apparatus for transferring the blanks of knitting needles in the process of manufacture of such needles

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for transferring the blanks of knitting needles for knitting machines in which pairs of clamping jaws are mounted at uniformly spaced locations on a conveyor. The jaws are mounted so that the contact surfaces thereof extend parallel to the direction of progress, whereby they define a permanent base surface for the needle blanks being clamped.

United States Patent [191 Afanasiev et al.

[ Feb. 5, 1974 APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING THE BLANKS OE KNITTING NEEDLES IN THE PROCESS OF MANUFACTURE OF SUCH NEEDLES [76] Inventors: Alexandr Dmitrievich Afanasiev, ulitsa Kubinka, 6, kv. 35; Alexei Gavrilovich Lykov, ulitsa Kubinka, 12, korpus 4, kv. 30; Alexandr Moiseevich Mogilevsky, ulitsa Yablochkova, 41, kv. 27; Leonid Pavlovich Sokolov, ulitsa Slavyansky bulvar, 51/1, kv. 174; Evl Gershkovich Fridman, ulitsa Kubinka, 6, kv. 20., all of Moscow, USSR.

[22] Filed: Dec. 29, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 213,597

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 29, 1970 U.S.S.R 1607854 [52] US. Cl. 198/20, 198/179 [51] Int. Cl. 365g 15/00, B65g 47/00 [58] Field of Search 198/179, 20, 131

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,289,304 12/1966 White ..198/179 3,104,871 9/1963 Reissner 271/84 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,226,029 9/1966 Germany 198/179 Primary Examiner-Richard E. Aegerter Attorney, Agent, or FirmI-lolman & Stern [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus for transferring the blanks of knitting needles for knitting machines in which pairs of clamping jaws are mounted at uniformly spaced locations on a conveyor. The jaws are mounted so that the contact surfaces thereof extend parallel to the direction of progress, whereby they define a permanent base surface for the needle blanks being clamped.

1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING THE BLANKS OF KNITTING NEEDLES IN THE PROCESS OF MANUFACTURE OF SUCH NEEDLES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the manufacture of needles for knitting machines, and, more particularly to apparatus for transferring the blanks of such knitting needles in the process of their manufacture.

The present invention can be used to utmost advantage in the production of latch needles employed in automatic flat-knitting machines, or of other kinds of needles, when the process of their manufacture involves operations of processing of the body of the needle for rendering the body oval in cross-section.

PRIOR ART There are known apparatus for transferring the blanks of knitting needles in the process of their manufacture, comprising a conveyor having mounted thereon at uniformly spaced locations pairs of clamping jaws, with one jaw of each pair being spring-urged (see, for example, the USSR Authors Certificate No 89,063, Class 7e, 3). In addition to said conveyor, these known apparatus include mechanisms for gripping the blanks and transferring them from the conveyor to the successive working stations and for returning them onto the conveyor.

Repeated transfers of the blanks from the clamping jaws of the conveyor to the grippers of the feeding mechanisms and back adversely affect the quality of the machining operations, on account of the absence of a permanent base surface.

Besides, the operation cycle of the known apparatus is prolonged by the time of the inter-operational transfers, in addition to the machining time, the time of feeding the blank to a work-performing tool and the time of returning the blank from the tool which affects the productivity of the apparatus.

OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to eliminate this disadvantage.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus resulting in uniformity of the machining of the blanks.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide an apparatus featuring increased productivity.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which eliminates additional feeding mechanisms.

These and other objects are attained in an apparatus for transferring the blanks of knitting needles having a foot, in the process of manufacture of such needles, comprising a chain conveyor, drive sprockets for the chain conveyor, one of the sprockets being a driving sprocket and the other a driven sprocket, clamping jaws having contact surfaces, said clamping jaws being mounted on said chain conveyor at uniformly spaced locations so that the contact surfaces of the clamping jaws extend parallel to the direction of movement of the chain conveyor, thereby forming a permanent base surface for blanks of knitting needles, one of said clamping jaws being spring-loaded and a second jaw being stationary, a ball accommodated in the stationary jaw in the side of the contact surface thereof, the spherical surface of the ball projecting beyond the stationary jaw, a screw mounted in the spring loaded jaw coaxially with the ball, a first stationary cam plate mounted coaxially with the driven sprocket and coacting with the ball to press the screw for opening the jaws, a stationary feeder of blanks of knitting needles mounted over the driven sprocket, a stud secured in the stationary jaw on the side of its contact surface normal thereto, the stud having a length not exceeding the thickness of the blanks, and a contact surface congruent to the shape of the needle foot and perpendicular to the contact surface of the jaws, for catching the foot of the blank of the knitting needle, advancing it from the stationary feeder into the open jaws and subsequently retaining the blank in the jaws throughout the working process, and preventing its dropping under the action of the working forces, means for receiving the worked blanks mounted under the driving sprocket, and an additional stationary cam plate mounted coaxially with the drive sprocket and coacting with the ball as the jaws with the clamped blank approach the receiving means for opening the jaws and discharging the blank into the receiving means.

This structure of the apparatus provides for attaining uniformity of machining of the blanks and for increased productivity, because the contact surfaces of the clamping jaws present a permanent base surface, which obviates the need in for additional feeding mechanisms that lead to wasting of additional time on feeding a blank to a tool and on returning the same in a direction perpendicular to the direction of transportation.

The present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof, with reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front view of the clamping jaws constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the jaws shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III- III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates the position of a needle blank, as it is carried through machining stations; and

FIG. 5 illustrates the unloading of a needle blank after it has been worked upon.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring now in particular to the appended drawings, the needle blank transfer apparatus comprises a conveyor 1 (FIG. 1) carrying a plurality of uniformly spaced clamping jaws 2 and 3, of which the jaw 2 is the stationary jaw and is mounted on the conveyor by means of pins 4, with the other jaw 3 being springloaded. The jaw 3 is mounted on a pivot pin 5 positioned centrally of the jaw 3, with both ends of the pivot pin 5 being secured to the stationary jaw 2. The jaws 2 and 3 are mounted on the conveyor 1 so that contact surfaces 6 and 7, respectively, thereof are parallel to the direction of the motion of the conveyor (this direction is indicated with the arrow line A" in the drawing), in which way a permanent blank-engaging area is ensured.

The stationary jaw has a pocket made in the contact surface thereof, and a ball 8 is inserted into this pocket so that a part of the spherical surface thereof projects outside from the external surface of the jaw, as it can be seen in FIG. 3. A set screw 9 is threaded through the 3 movable jaw 3, with its axis being aligned with that of the ball 8.

The ball 8 is adapted to be engaged by a stationary cam plate 10, for opening the jaws when a needle blank is to be clamped, and a blank 11 (FIG. 1) is supplied from a feeder 12 which feeds out needle blanks 11 one by one in any known way.

In order to engage a blank 11 by foot 13 thereof and to clamp it reliably between the jaws 2 and 3, a stud 14 is mounted on the stationary jaw 2, on the side thereof having the contact surface 6.

The cam plate 10 is mounted coaxially with a driven sprocket wheel 15 of the conveyor 1, rotatable about an axis 16. Another cam plate 17 (FIG. of a similar structure is mounted at the point where a finished blank 18 is unloaded into a screw conveyor delivery 19, rotatable about an axis 20. The cam plate 17 is mounted coaxially with a driving sprocket wheel 21 of the conveyor 1, rotatable about an axis 22.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

The clamping jaws 2 and 3 are mounted at uniformly spaced locations longitudinally of the conveyor'l, with the spacing between the jaw assemblies being determined in accordance with the operation cycle of the apparatus and with the speed of the conveyor. When, after having delivered the finished blank 18, the jaws pass along the lower, return run of the conveyor and rise about the driven sprocket wheel 15, the ball 8 received in the stationary jaw 2 and projecting therefrom engages the stationary cam plate mounted coaxially with the sprocket wheel and presses the set screw 9 threaded into the movable jaw 3, whereby the jaws open against the closing action of the spring. At this moment, the blank 11 projecting from the feeder l2 enters between the open jaws 2 and 3, the stud 15 engages the blank byfits foot 13, and, upon the ball 8 leaving the cam plate 10, the contact surfaces 6 and 7 of the jaws 2 and 3, respectively, close upon the blank 11 and thus clamp it to carry the blank through the successive working stations.

As the clamped blank 11 (FIG. 4) is carried by the conveyor, it is subjected to several successive machining operations. For instance, it is passed through the nip of pressure rollers which compress it either in a horizontal plane or in a vertical plane to a desired crosssectional shape.

After having passed through the working stations, the now finished blank 18 is carried by the clamping jaws 2 and 3 toward the driving sprocket wheel 21. Here the ball 8 engages the stationary cam plate 17 mounted coaxially with the driving sprocket wheel, whereby the clamping jaws 2 and 3 open, and the finished blank 18 falls by gravity into the groove of the screw conveyor delivery 19 which carries it further on. As the finished blank is carried by the screw conveyor 19, the friction forces drive it into the groove of the screw conveyor, whereby it is indexed with its feet turned upwardly, in which position it can be added to a stack of finished blanks.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for transferring blanks of knitting needles having a foot in the process of the manufacture of such needles, comprising a chain conveyor, sprockets for the chain conveyor, one of the sprockets being a driving sprocket, and the other a driven sprocket, clamping jaws having contact surfaces, the clamping jaws being mounted on the chain conveyor at uniformly spaced locations so that the contact surfaces thereof extend parallel to the direction of movement of the chain conveyor, thereby forming a permanent base surface for blanks of knitting needles, one of the jaws being spring-loaded, and the other jaw being stationary, a ball accommodated in the stationary jaw on the side of the contact surface thereof, the spherical surface of the ball projecting beyond the stationary jaw, a screw mounted in the spring-loaded jaw coaxially with the ball, a first stationary cam plate mounted coaxially with the driven sprocket and coacting with the ball for pressing the screw for opening the jaws, a stationary feeder of blanks of knitting needles mounted over the driven sprocket, a stud secured in the stationary jaw on the side of its contact surface normal thereto, the stud having a length not exceeding the thickness of the blanks of knitting needles, and a contact surface congruent to the shape of the needle foot and perpendicular to the contact surface of the jaws for catching the foot of the blank of the knitting needle, advancing it from the stationary feeder into the open jaws and subsequently retaining the blank in the jaws through-out the working process for preventing its dropping under the action of the working forces, means for receiving the worked blanks mounted under the drive sprockets, and a further stationary cam plate mounted coaxially with the drive sprocket and coacting with the ball as the jaws with the clamped needle blank approach the receiving means, for opening the jaws and discharging the blank into the receiving means. 

1. An apparatus for transferring blanks of knitting needles having a foot in the process of the manufacture of such needles, comprising a chain conveyor, sprockets for the chain conveyor, one of the sprockets being a driving sprocket, and the other a driven sprocket, clamping jaws having contact surfaces, the clamping jaws being mounted on the chain conveyor at uniformly spaced locations so that the contact surfaces thereof extend parallel to the direction of movement of the chain conveyor, thereby forming a permanent base surface for blanks of knitting needles, one of the jaws being spring-loaded, and the other jaw being stationary, a ball accommodated in the stationary jaw on the side of the contact surface thereof, the spherical surface of the ball projecting beyond the stationary jaw, a screw mounted in the spring-loaded jaw coaxially with the ball, a first stationary cam plate mounted coaxially with the driven sprocket and coacting with the ball for pressing the screw for opening the jaws, a stationary feeder of blanks of knitting needles mounted over the driven sprocket, a stud secured in the stationary jaw on the side of its contact surface normal thereto, the stud having a length not exceeding the thickness of the blanks of knitting needles, and a contact surface congruent to the shape of the needle foot and perpendicular to the contact surface of the jaws for catching the foot of the blank of the knitting needle, advaNcing it from the stationary feeder into the open jaws and subsequently retaining the blank in the jaws through-out the working process for preventing its dropping under the action of the working forces, means for receiving the worked blanks mounted under the drive sprockets, and a further stationary cam plate mounted coaxially with the drive sprocket and coacting with the ball as the jaws with the clamped needle blank approach the receiving means, for opening the jaws and discharging the blank into the receiving means. 